Evander Berry Wall

Evander Berry Wall (January 14, 1861 – May 4, 1940 ) was an American socialite in New York City and later an expatriate in France during the Belle Époque and beyond. He was famous for his extravagantly refined look and was crowned "King of the Dudes" in the 1880s.

Early life and marriage Evander was the son of Charles Wall and Elizabeth A. Wall. He was the grandson of William Wall, who was mayor of what was then Williamsburgh, New York (now part of New York City) and who developed a prosperous rope making business there in 1830, Wall Rope Works. When Berry was 11, his grandfather died, and Wall Rope Works was then run by Berry's father and his siblings. Berry's father also died just eight years later in 1879. The 1880 US Census shows Berry living with his widowed mother and his occupation as "cordage manufacturer" at the age of 19. His siblings were James R. Wall and Louise Berry Wall Ladew (Mrs. Edward R. Ladew).

Evander was raised as a wealthy New Yorker. At the age of 16, he owned his first race horse. He inherited $2 million before the age of 22. Wall became a leader of the American café society, a group of rich socialites.

Wall married Salome "Lomie" Melbourne on December 16, 1887, in Baltimore. She was born July 4, 1867, in St. Joseph, Missouri, the daughter of William Fiske Melbourne and Josephine Shutt Melbourne.

Wall was a clotheshorse. He generally wore a "very extraordinary costume" such as the one pictured on the right: "a dust coat of a reddish havana brown, a suit made of a large grey shepherd plaid check; extremely wide trousers tapered at the ankle, and turned up several inches to display white spats and highly varnished shoes; a 'startling' striped shirt in red and sky blue, with very high false collar of a pattern different from the shirts, a striped vest and a widely spread stock-cravat." and 5,000 neckties.

Wall was again proclaimed "King of the Dudes" in 1888 by the New York American newspaper. A journalist named Blakely Hall judged that Wall had won the "Battle of the Dudes" against Robert "Bob" Hilliard, another sartorial dude when, during the March Blizzard of 1888, he strode into a bar clad in gleaming boots of patent leather that went to his hips. He appeared at the Saratoga Race Course in one flashy ensemble after the other until, exhausted but victorious he at last entered the ballroom of the United States Hotel in faultless evening attire." This was located conveniently near the bespoke shirtmaker Charvet, where Wall had his signature "spread eagle" collar shirts and cravats custom-made for himself and his dog. Wall always dined at the Ritz with his dog, whose collars and ties were made by Charvet in the same style and fabric as his master's.

During World War I, the Walls stayed in France and put all their social connections to use. For their fundraising efforts on behalf of wounded servicemen, each of the Walls was awarded the French Legion of Honour medal. He noted that, "I keep reminding myself as I draw nearer my last great duty, the obligation upon me to thank the God I believe in for the gift of life."

When he died, he left only $12,608, having "squandered nearly every cent on pleasure."